In performing an artificial joint replacement such as a knee or hip, support or navigation by computer is used to accurately implant an artificial joint component (part). Broadly speaking, there is the following technique (see Non-Patent Literature 1):
(1) A method of providing navigation by using motion information, etc., obtained by moving a joint, without using image information of a joint part by CT (Computed Tomography); and
(2) A method of providing navigation by using image information by CT to prepare a three-dimensional (3D) bone shape model, and registering it to an intraoperative bone shape.
Of these, the method (1) does not require a processing for preoperative image acquisition, but cannot be said to be satisfactory in accuracy of the navigation. On the other hand, the method (2) can prepare a highly accurate three-dimensional bone shape model by CT or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and improve the accuracy of the navigation.
For example, the following Patent Literature 1 “SURGICAL SUPPORT DEVICE, METHOD AND PROGRAM” is such that a three-dimensional model is created in advance based on MRI images of a patient taken before surgery, and during surgery, a surface of the patient is scanned by a laser beam and the reflected laser beam is detected, thereby measuring three-dimensional coordinates of each point on the surface and associating them with the preoperative MRI images of each point on the surface.